The birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was first celebrated as a national holiday in 1986. Its celebration was resisted by many states, for reasons too obvious to delineate here. By the year 2000, all states of the Union officially celebrated Dr. King’s birthday.

The fact that it took 14 years for a handful of recalcitrant states to celebrate the holiday is very telling. Dr. King, like Nelson Mandela, has had myth and legend encased on his memory, both in his life and after his death. And these myths tend to obscure the real man, the man of flesh and bone, the man with passion and thought.

We all remember and revere his stance for peace. But we cannot forget that he wielded peace like a weapon. His peace wasn’t a comfortable peace. To quote from another time, he wasn’t asking “Can’t we all just get along”.

He stood against a racial apartheid as pernicious as that which exiled South Africa from the community of nations. He stood against establishment assumptions of American empire and American militarism. He stood against the received wisdom of American capitalism.

He is too often seen now as an anodyne figure, someone who spoke to the better angels of our nature, someone who can be embraced by both left and right. (Well, some of the right. Some of them are beyond redemption.)

Peace was his tactic, and his belief. But it served something which was radical. Although he and Malcolm X spoke in different metaphors, they had much of the same view of the corrupted American experiment. It was an experiment which, at its inception, relegated slaves and the freed children of slaves to oppression and denigration. It was an experiment which depended upon keeping down the working class. It was an experiment which thrived by pitting natural allies against each other, based on culture, religion, race. It was an experiment which arrogated to itself the rights of empire as natural, exporting its system as a panacea for what ailed the world, blind to its own glaring failings.

When Dr. King spoke out against the Vietnam War, Lyndon Johnson was infuriated. Here he had handed the South to the Republican Party in his effort to get civil rights legislation passed, and Dr. King spoke out against the war which was wrapped around the president’s neck.

And that act shows why we misread Dr. King as merely an apostle of peace. He was that; but it was peace serving a larger purpose. It was peace as a way of exposing the inherent contradictions of the American myth. A republic of freedom founded on slavery. An empire of liberty which slaughtered the native inhabitants. A nation of immigrants which then turned against new waves of immigrants.

He began as a civil rights activist. He trained as a preacher. But on that April night in Memphis, he emerged as a prophet. In his last years he spoke the truths which the country needed to hear. The nation needed to hear these truths if it were ever to live up to its founding mythologies.

A house cannot stand divided. What was true in the fissures between north and south, is equally true in a political climate where enmity and hatred are stoked by actors seeking after their own wealth and power, uncaring of the effect it has on their fellow countrymen.

A nation cannot endure half slave, half free. It was true in the times of chattel slavery. It is equally true in a time of increasing income inequality, where the dreams of a secure life slip away from greater numbers of people.

What we cannot forget about Dr. King is that he spoke to these issues. He wielded peace like a sword, cutting away at the comfortable lies we all told ourselves, blind to the contradictions which informed the country’s politics, economics, and culture.

I was born a year after Dr. King’s assassination. And I grew up with the comforting image of the peaceful man. He was a peaceful man. But he was a man of iron, with a strong will, diagnosing the diseases which wracked a country which, when he was born, didn’t consider him an equal citizen. The way of peace is the hardest path, and that was the path which Dr. King chose to change his country.

As we remember his life today, let’s remember it clearly. In that way we can continue to carry out his work.

It’s disgusting when organizations, politicians, or Snowden fans co-opt African-American leaders, activists, icons for their bullshit. They’re never there with us when we need help and are fighting for equality or a space at the table. Noooooo, they’re there to co-opt our people who fought for revolutionary ideals and are revered around the world. I see that PETA is being called out on Twitter and thank goodness.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is not comparable to an animal. Slavery is NOTHING like what animals experience. NOTHING is like slavery. Don’t degrade African-Americans and people who died due to slavery for some bloody insane crap. They’ve lost their ever-loving minds.

The fate of animals today is similar to that of humans who were subjected to slavery and other civil rights injustices—they, too, are tortured, abused, and neglected as humans once were and sometimes still are. More than 63 billion animals are slaughtered every year in the United States for the food industry, without even a thought to their feelings or needs.

Look, I’m all for treating animals humanely. And, perhaps if I were a better person, I would be a vegetarian. But, first and foremost I’m a humanist, and I place humanity at the center of my concern, because it is humanity which has the sole power to shape the world, for good or ill. A bear won’t write a sonata, and a whale doesn’t have his finger on the nuclear button.

My jaw dropped in disbelief after reading the post and seeing the pictures. I understand and support championing for humane animal conditions. It is right for animals to have safe and loving homes but to compare slavery to animals is breathtakingly offensive.

Slavery is a horror that this country wrought upon people for no other reason than they didn’t like the color of their skin. People were sold like chattel. Mothers were raped by plantation masters, fathers were separated from their wives and children. Men, women, and children were lynched.

As though slavery were not horrific enough, institutional racism was allowed to flourish in the guise of Jim Crow laws, education laws, social norms and the like.

African-Americans and other minorities are still facing so many barriers in terms of voting, education, income, subtle and outright racism and the one day where the entire nation and world celebrates a man who along with many others changed so much for African-Americans and other races, PETA chooses to do this?

I couldn’t even read it Nerdy, the tweet was nauseating enough. It was bad enough today to read dicks comparing Edward Snowden to MLK, now this. Disgusting, disgusting people, they reveal so much about themselves with this kind of shit.

NW, PETA might as well as well have issued a tweet saying we are idiots and have no clue what we’re talking about. I am a vegetarian because I’m against the slaughtering of animals for food. I’m against cruelty of any sort, especially to animals that can’t fight back. But only a group that has become totally unhinged from reality (and basic common sense) could speak of animal cruelty in the same breath as Martin Luther King. I don’t know how many times PETA has shot itself in the foot with its stupidity, but it has seriously wounded itself today. They need to all go on a retreat and meditate on the idea that it’s better to keep silent and be thought an idiot then open your mouth and prove it.

One of the points I like = “we misread Dr. King as merely an apostle of peace. He was that; but it was peace serving a larger purpose. It was peace as a way of exposing the inherent contradictions of the American myth.”

“And that act shows why we misread Dr. King as merely an apostle of peace. He was that; but it was peace serving a larger purpose. It was peace as a way of exposing the inherent contradictions of the American myth. A republic of freedom founded on slavery. An empire of liberty which slaughtered the native inhabitants. A nation of immigrants which then turned against new waves of immigrants”

Good afternoon everyone. Sorry I’m late but I woke to all the hypocrisy on and in the media and became ill. Remembering the venom that was out there and now some of those people are talking about how great MLK was……It makes me sick. I lived through all that and all that really sticks with me are phrases like, “What do ya’ll want?”, ” You’re moving too fast”, “Why can’t you stay on your side of town?.
Now Dr. King is romanticized to the point that you’d think he was a rethug idea all together. To hear them tell it, they were all on the bridge to Selma. And how great the “I have a Dream” speech was……..They don’t seem to remember about the “check” that has been returned marked insufficient funds.
Enough of my rant. We’ll get to that post racial nirvana as soon as they get that black man out of the White House………I’m still pissed!

Of course it was:) The hypocrisy of all this is absolutely stunning to me, as well. Wonder if this ruling will effect those community “health centers” that are nothing more than RW propaganda palaces..

Hi MP – I saw the comment – you should start a business advising on the down sizing🙂

I thought about hiring a commercial shredder firm – but there have been cases – of course related to government – where the documents were found – fully intact – floating in the wind – so I prefer not to out source – as governments shouldn’t outsource.

You are right about electronic docs however. I have been avoiding getting my bills/bank statements that way – but I got online yesterday and changed the lot.

But the documents are just the start! It will be an interesting 18 months.

An aide to Gov. Chris Christie (R) plans to hold a conference call with reporters on Monday afternoon to push back even more against allegations involving hurricane relief money raised over the weekend by the mayor of Hoboken, N.J.

Marc Ferzan, the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Recovery and Rebuilding, plans to give a briefing to reporters at 2 p.m. and take questions on the call.

“In light of recent and categorically false accusations regarding the distribution of Superstorm Sandy recovery funds by the Christie Administration, Marc Ferzan, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Recovery and Rebuilding, will hold a media briefing call today to provide an accurate update on the distribution of Sandy funds and take questions,” a press release announcing the call said.

So the media will throw a few softball questions – I would like someone to ask about the $38 million paid to a computer firm for software to manage the funds!! Wonder if it allows them to fix the figures after the event

The North Jersey Media Group sued former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her political action committee in Manhattan Federal Court last September, claiming copyright infringement over the use of an iconic 9/11 photograph.

Sarah Palin won’t have home court advantage. Mama Grizzly has lost her bid to have a lawsuit filed against her by a New Jersey company moved to a court in her native Alaska.

Newspaper publisher North Jersey Media Group sued Palin and her political action committee in Manhattan Federal Court last September, claiming copyright infringement over the use of an iconic 9/11 photograph.

The former Republican vice presidential candidate moved to have the case dismissed or moved to Alaska Federal Court.

Manhattan Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein instead moved the case to where the plaintiff is located, New Jersey Federal Court, in a ruling Friday.

She is such fine young woman, Theo, and has now had more interesting life experiences at 12 than many girls have in a lifetime. I am so glad the Obama family spends time giving back–their children can’t learn a better lesson.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — At least nine people have been hospitalized and others could be trapped after an explosion and partial building collapse at an Omaha animal feed processing plant.

Interim Omaha Fire Chief Bernie Kanger (KANG’-ur) said Monday that nine workers have been sent to hospitals. He says firefighters are searching the building for anyone who may have been trapped by the blast or the falling debris. He declined to comment on possible fatalities.

Family members who have gathered outside the International Nutrition plant say they’ve received cellphone calls from their loved ones inside who told them one or two people may be missing or trapped.

The fire and explosion were reported at 10 a.m. Plant officials declined to comment to The Associated Press.

//……………
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined International Nutrition for six violations in early 2012. The violations included issues with medical services and first aid at the facility, wiring methods used throughout the building and safety guards for machines. The company paid about $10,000 in informal settlements.

OG, these gun obsessed people show little, or no, common sense. There is so much potential for accidents in the teachers-allowed-guns scenario. What I find most disappointing is that ideas like these get little effective push-back There is no way I would want my child attending a school where teachers are armed!.

Oh geez, Donna, I’m surprised the mother is still alive. This is actually a very unhealthy birth weight and babies this big are put in pediatric intensive care to check for diabetes. I hope this little one doesn’t carry this over into obesity at an early age.

my hubby was a 15 pounder as well. For years I was hesitant to have kids after we married. Thought I would end up being split from the rooter to the tooter. thankfully we had multiples so they were small.

I remember the horror – my parents (2 years younger than he was) were adamant supporters of his non-violent way to end the US form of apartheid (segregation).

I remember discussing our disgust at a nation that could allow the assassination of someone who sought reforms that everyone should find reasonable using non-violent protests – in the school yard.

Of course, I couldn’t understand the English – but I could follow the Dutch sub-titles on the news, which learned me that he forsaw that he – as Moses – would not enter the Promised Land (which would value him for the content of his character, not chide him for the color of his skin).

Hello Everyone,
Just had a wonderful time this morning at the Martin Luther King Ecumenical Interfaith Breakfast in Raleigh, North Carolina. The NC Triangle area is celebrating its 34th year of honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!

Take a few to listen to the keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Otis Moss speak – once you hear him, you will never forget the experience – its inspirational, spiritual and truth telling. We are truly blessed to have him!

These videos are available for viewing for a limited time only. Many thanks to the local WRAL TV, for making them available at all!